What will happen if you light Citric Acid in the
powdered form on fire or expose to extreme heat?
Josie

Question Date: 2006-07-30

Answer 1:

Citric acid is an organic compound; it will burn.
I do not know how, specifically, it will combust,
or if it will combust completely or not at
moderately high heat, but it burns.

Answer 2:

Citric acid can actually exist in two different
powdered forms, depending on how it is prepared-
either anhydrous (without water) ormono-hydrate
(with some amount of water trapped in the powder
with the citric acid molecules). Citric acid is a
weak, carboxylate acid. If you heat powdered
citric acid to its melting temperature of
153degrees Celsius / 307 degrees Fahrenheit, then
the powder will liquefy into a clear or brownish
liquid (as additional heat is absorbed) and will
burn.If you heat it slightly hotter, to 175
degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is
what a sustained fire would do, it will
spontaneously decompose-- that is, break down into
smaller molecules including water and carbon
dioxide (CO2). These smaller molecules
will be very hot, and will become gasses- steam
and CO2 in the air, which means that it
will expand very quickly, i.e. it may explode. Be
careful!

Answer 3:

Citric acid is an organic compound made up of
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, so it should burn
like any other organic substance. Please be careful.